New England Nordic Ski Association

The Home of Cross Country Skiing in New England

Rollerskiing

2023 Eastern Coaches Conference

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The New England Nordic Ski Association is excited to produce an Eastern Coaches Conference with the main goal of bringing our community together in anticipation of the 2024 winter.  This years Conference will take place at the Dublin School in Dublin, New Hampshire on September 30th. #SkiingBetterTogether

REGISTRATION IS NOW LIVE

This ongoing educational experience is open to all. NENSA membership provides registration for the conference (including 2 meals, presentations, a film debut, and Nordic Team Solutions coach membership raffle) and a significant subsidy for the clinics, reducing the overall cost of attendance. Whether you are new to coaching or a veteran we hope you will join us. Please fill out this application if you are in need of a scholarship, as we don’t want cost to be a barrier for attendance.

If you are seeking U.S. Ski & Snowboard certification please see details below how to register and begin completing your online curriculum. All participants will be listed on the NENSA Coaches Resource page to highlight ongoing education and leadership.

We are so fortunate for the support of the Dublin School, providing this venue (and wonderful food) as a way for NENSA to show appreciation for our members, help strengthen coaching knowledge and the stoke for cross country skiing in the East.

Throughout a jam packed day:  there are options for technique clinics, U.S. Ski & Snowboard Certification, BKL Leader Training, expert insights, a forum and question period from an expert panel, and an artistic movie following a community dinner.

Kathy Maddock of Dublin XC will lead the introductory technique clinic, which is combined with coaches performing their in-person practicum for USSS L100 certification.  Bryan Fish, USST, will lead the advanced clinic and lead L200 candidates through discussion and in-person practicums. In the afternoon, join Mackenzie Rizio, NENSA, for Bill Koch Youth Ski League Coach Education!  This workshop is intended for club leaders, parent/caregivers, volunteers, and youth ski coaches from all across the Northeast.  Entry in any of these clinic includes lunch at the Dublin School.

Please note if you are trying to achieve USSS certifications you must complete coursework (follow above links) prior to attending the clinic.

Throughout the day Drew Gelinas – the new Nordic Product Manager from Swix will be on hand.

At 4:30pm, Zach Caldwell, NENSA’s first Program Director and owner of Caldwell Sport, will present on ski selection for juniors, and fleet management through growth and development.

At 5:00pm we will have a Forum Discussion with Caldwell, Fish, Gelinas, Kathy Maddock of DublinXC and Sam Benzing – The Paul J. Finnegan Family Head Coach for Men’s & Women’s Nordic Skiing Harvard University.  Participants are encouraged to provide and bring questions – topics that will be discussed include: the potential of further wax protocols in the future, optimizing training for a High School team, engaging your team and motivating them to train in the off- season, and how all levels of development share common themes.

At 7:00pm we welcome the community to share a pre-debut of Alaskan native, now Ford Sayre skier, Art Copoulos’ movie, “Why We Ski.”

Tentative Detailed Schedule:

Saturday, September 30th    
 BKL L100 L200
9:00 AM  Introductions, Welcome and Course Overview 
9:30 AM Arrive, get equipment readyEngaged Portfolio Questions
10:00 AM Classic Technique Work Engaged Portfolio Questions
10:30 AM Classic Technique Work Gear up for skiing 
 
11:00 AM Drew Gelinas – Swix SportSkate Technique Work 
11:30 AMLunch Lunch Lunch 
12:15 PMDrew Gelinas – Swix SportSkate Technique Work Drew Gelinas – Swix Sport
1:00 PMClassroom Time, PresentationSkate Technique Work Agility 
2:00 PMGrass Skiing/ Dryland Section Clinic Wrap-up Small Group Assessments 
2:30 PM Portfolio DiscussionThe “Games Approach” for Classic Skis
3:30 PM  Wrap up 
4:30 PMZach Caldwell – Ski selection for juniors, and fleet management through growth and development
5:00 PMForumForum Forum 
6:15 PMDinnerDinnerDinner
7:00 PMFilm Debut – Why We Ski – Art Copoulos / Continued Forum Discussion

Good Times Roll – Rollerski Event

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Saturday, July 23, 2023 at 11am

Pennellville Road
138 Pennellville Road
Brunswick, Maine
Map Here

Race Fees
Student (through college): $15
Adult/Open: $25
Day of registration available for $30

Registration will be limited to 80 racers due to safety reasons. Please PRE-REGISTER as it greatly helps race organizers with planning. No new registrations after 10:30 AM.

REGISTRATION

 

Fifth Annual Roy-llerski

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NENSA and The Maine Outdoor Wellness Center are thrilled to host the 5th annual Roy-llerski and Fundraiser this year during the month of July.  The event, originally created by Jenny Wilbraham, was created in memory of Roy Varney to bring together the nordic community for support and to enjoy the sport they all shared.

This year, the event will have both Virtual and in-person options, we encourage anyone that can participate with a group and make the most of it!  Using the date of Roy’s passing (7/1/19), the challenge is to ski, run, or ride 71.19km OR for 71:19 (1h:11m:19s), spread over a couple of days,  weeks, or the entire month if need be.

Join us on July 15, 2023 for a 5km Trail Run, and to celebrate our three-year anniversary and the end of summer at our annual fundraiser and community gathering.

There is a $15 entry fee that will be donated to Maine Outdoor Wellness Center. 

Have fun, stay safe, and take the spirit of the journey with you!! Sharing photos or GPS tracks is highly encouraged.

Registrant Categories:

Rockstar: For those aiming to ski 71.19 in one shot – for time or challenge.
Speedy Repeater: Combine multiple skis to reach 71.19km.
Bill Koch/Recreational/Time Trial: Ski 7.119km non-stop or use the event as a time trial.
Art for Roy: Design the coolest fitness tracker art file to honor Roy! #forRoy
1:11:19: Ski as far as you can in 71 minutes and 19 seconds.

Read here for recaps of the 2022 and 2021 events.

EVENT REGISTRATION

Climb to the Castle (16th Edition)

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Welcome to the 2023 Climb to the Castle, the historic Hill Climb 5-mile course up the Whiteface Mountain Toll Road.  Back for 2023 there will be again be a Short Course option!  Join us for a full weekend of racing in Lake Placid paired with the Keys to the Castle.

REGISTRATION coming SOON

On Sunday, we welcome you to the 2023 Climb to the Castle!  This years race will feature the historic 5-mile course up the Whiteface Mountain toll road as in years past — and a new option to ski a shorter course that will have the same iconic finish!

Registration:  There will be NO Day of Registration.  All registration must be completed on SkiReg by Friday, September 22nd at 5:00 pm OR between 4-6pm at High Peaks Cyclery on Saturday night.

Race entry includes food at awards!

Bib pickup:  We will have an early bib pick up on Saturday evening from 4-6 pm at the High Peaks Cyclery guide house.  High Peaks is located at 2733 Main St. in Lake Placid.  The guide house is the building directly to the right now the front door to the store.

Day of race bib pick-up will be under the NYSEF tent outside the Toll building.  Bib Pick up will begin at 7 am and run up to 8 am. 

START Long Course:  This year’s start will be held at 15 person waves and will stage on the uphill side of the toll booth.  We will do our best to seed everyone by points if they have them.  If you have a U.S. Ski & Snowboard License or NENSA license please provide it while registering to better assist your wave seeding.  The top ranked (15 male and 15 female athletes) skiers will have access to NENSA’s matched fleet of Swenor Skate Long skis with #2 wheels.  There will be one water / aid station mid-course. 

START Short Course:  Short Course competitors have two options for a warmup.  Competitors can rollerski to the start (roughly 2 miles), or can be shuttled to the start in the Bus Departing from the tollroad gate at 7:45am.  Once at the start line of the short course, all athletes must RUN for their warmup.  Absolutely no backward skiing on course will be allowed.

Finish and Awards:  The finish will be at the top of the Whiteface access road just before reaching the “Castle.”  Weather permitting, awards will be held at the summit immediately following the event.  Open, Junior and Masters podiums from the long course along with additional prizes for the short and classic options will be awarded.  There will also be a raffle! 

NYSEF will help to facilitate transportation for competitors back down the mountain, but we encourage teams to transport their own athletes to the bottom.  We will allow cars and spectators up the mountain 10 minutes before the start.  All cars driving to the finish MUST drive all the way to the top of the mountain.  Parking along the race route will not be allowed.

Athletes will be seeded by U.S. Ski and Snowboard distance points as provided.  A seed list will be posted Saturday. 

Juniors and Seniors will also be in the running for prizes from NENSA, Swix, EnjoyWinter, and Cabot Cheese.

This event will be the second event of the NENSA Masters Cup — scored by best two of three placements of the 2023 Hill Climbs in the NENSA Rollerski Race Series.  It is one of the most attended masters rollerski events in North America.

U.S. Ski & Snowboard L100 Practicum and NENSA Technique Clinic

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There are two ways to participate in this clinic:

1) If you are seeking U.S. Ski and Snowboard L100 Certification follow this link for full details: http://usskiandsnowboard.org/sport-development/coaches-development/welcome-cross-country-level-100-coach-certification

Please note: To fulfill obligations of this certification you must purchase a USSS Coaches Membership and the L100 Course.  The Coach Developer, SMS’s Alex Jospe, will lead a discussion via Zoom to lay out expectations and review portfolios that must be completed before the in-person practicum.

Coaches can register at any time as long as they have a current coach membership and those basic membership requirements have been met. The U.S. Ski & Snowboard membership season runs from July 1 through June 30 annually. However, we open registration for the upcoming season the first week of May.  Memberships become valid July 1. 

You will pay $160.00 for the online course and in-person practicum

Please email the Sport Education Department if you have any questions.

2) If you just want to attend the in-person practicum and are not seeking USSS certification your are welcome too!  Share the afternoon with other coaches and athletes and learn about technique.

SIGN UP HERE (link will be live soon)